


polaroid

by Kyluxing



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), Drabble, Fluff, Klance oneshot, M/M, Short & Sweet, cuteness, klance, nostalgic lance, pining lance, polaroid camera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 00:32:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14726573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyluxing/pseuds/Kyluxing
Summary: a nostalgic photographer and his samurai





	polaroid

Unbeknownst to the other paladins, Lance had purchased a Polaroid camera at the Earth shop on their first visit to the Space Mall. He had picked it up gently and examined it with teary eyes. As his fingers tenderly brushed along its cool surface, his heart wrenched as memories of his family began to flood his mind; memories of a bright autumn day, a tire swing, and his siblings' smiling faces; memories of the McClain family desperately trying to arrange themselves in the camera's viewfinder before a seagull dove in front of the lens; memories of a dozen first days of school captured hastily before bolting to the bus stop. All these memories and more rested in neat little frames along the McClain's foyer wall, and below them, on a small, square table, sat a 1990's Polaroid camera, almost identical to the one Lance now clutched to his chest. He decided to share a piece of his childhood with the rest of his team and compile enough memories to someday add to his wall at home.

Lance brought his camera everywhere-when they weren't engaged in combat-and would occasionally snap candid photos of his friends or pictures of the landscapes and architecture of alien planets. He'd document their daily routines, the Lions, and the aliens he met. He'd turn the camera around and take selfies in front of things that reminded him of certain family members. He'd excitedly tape each picture to the wall of his room, thanking God that the shop from which he bought the camera had a generous amount of film to go with it as his collection of memories grew.

He began to sneakily take pictures of Keith as he developed feelings for him. At Voltron celebrations on various planets, when Keith would stray away from the festivities and gaze at the sky in deep thought, the click of the camera went unnoticed as the music and chatter drowned it out. In their free time back at the castle, when the team would all hang out and play games or watch movies, they'd grown accustomed to Lance's spontaneous picture-taking and didn't bat an eye when Lance would poise the camera for another shot. They were unaware of the fact that more and more of those photos were solely of Keith gingerly pushing his bangs back or of Keith giggling at something ridiculous that had been said. He has a beautiful laugh.

The day Keith was due to leave for the Blade, everyone gathered around to say their goodbyes. When the last of the group had finally dispersed to return to their duties, Lance remained, nibbling at his lip nervously.

"We're gonna miss you, man," he said softly, looking down at his feet. His gaze lifted to Keith's as he offered his hand to the former red paladin. Clasped in it was a photograph. It was quite possibly his favorite of them all. At the time, he and Keith had just fought a bout in the training facility. They'd been at it for over an hour, upping the levels of the training bots after every battle. They had become a spectacularly good team, the two of them. They fought together in such perfect harmony, it was as if they were born to be by each other's side. Keith had done something amazing, as usual, and as they cooled off after the last round, Lance had fondly remarked, "Sharp work, Samurai!"

Lance could've sworn Keith blushed a little as he lightheartedly replied, "Samurai? Really?" with an adorable chuckle.

Lance felt like he had hearts for eyes as he watched Keith smiling to himself on his way to grab a towel. Lance had the sudden urge to commemorate that moment of just the two of them working together like a badass couple. He lunged for his camera which he had placed in a safe space away from all the action. When Keith returned from drying his face, Lance bounded up to him, camera in hand. Keith rolled his eyes with a grin as he spotted the camera Lance gripped tightly.

"This moment needs to be captured before Team Klance goes out kicks Galra booty once and for all," Lance explained nonchalantly.

He sidled up next to Keith, extending his arm out with the camera facing them.

"Three...two...one...cheese!"

Lance got a crazy, last minute idea and turned to place a kiss on Keith's flushed cheek just as the camera flashed.

Fearing a negative reaction, Lance dashed out of the room, snickering gleefully so as not to let on that his heart was pounding painfully in his chest and that his stomach was doing flips at what he just did.

In his hurry to escape, Lance missed the bright blush that bloomed on Keith's face.

Things went on as normal after that. It was almost like that stolen kiss on the cheek never even happened. Lance was relieved that Keith seemed unfazed by it. He had stayed up the night that it happened with the thought of Keith not talking to him ever again tormenting him until he drifted off to sleep.

Lance didn't know why he was so nervous now. Maybe Keith wouldn't even realize he's confessing and will save him the hassle of rejection.

Lance was determined that all the pictures he's taken during his space travels will someday end up on the wall back home on Earth, and a part of him hoped that by giving one to Keith, he would have no choice but to come back and assure a spot on the wall for it.

As Keith curiously picked up the photograph, Lance let out a soft, shaky breath and whispered, "I'm..gonna miss you."

With that, he hurriedly walked away and left Keith staring dazedly at his retreating back.

-

Keith was about to embark on a dangerous mission with the Blade; a mission that was highly important to the demise of the Galran Empire and a mission that was most definitely life-threatening. As he always did before any dangerous operation, he reached into his robes and withdrew a slightly weathered photograph. He ran his fingers along Lance's face, sighing heavily as he traced the scrawl at the bottom of the Polaroid that read: "Sharp work, Samurai," with a heart scribbled beside it.

This is for Lance, he thought confidently.

He pressed his fingers to his lips, then to Lance's photographic form before securing the photo back into his robes, next to his heart, and heading out to battle.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! I don't ever post on here, but I thought I'd share this oneshot that I wrote based on a photo I edited this morning out of boredom haha. Hope you liked!
> 
> here's the link to the picture lance gives to keith:  
> https://kylorenthusiast.tumblr.com/image/174127178787


End file.
